A popular Bengali sweet that's melt in your mouth delicious! It's a moist sweet fudge made with just a few ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes. Makes a great impromptu dessert!!!

Festivities and sweets go hand in hand. And for Diwali, one of my favorite go-to sweets is sandesh or sondesh as it's called in Bengal. Traditionally, it's made with chenna (fresh and moist crumbled paneer), sugar, and cardamom. Here I have used ricotta instead of chenna, hence cutting down on one step. I learned this recipe from a dear friend years ago. She always has some cool hacks to share:)
This is one of the first-ever mithai I learned to make all by myself and hence holds a special place in my heart. And boy was I proud of my achievement :)))
Sandesh Ingredients
- Ricotta - Ricotta has a chenna like texture and consistency that's perfect to make sandesh.
- Sugar - can be adjusted as per personal preference
- cardamom powder - gives a nice aroma and flavor
- saffron - for that gorgeous color and aroma
- pistachios or nuts of your choice - for garnishing
There are many variations of this recipe, you can make rose sandesh, strawberry sandesh, chocolate sandesh, and so on!!!
How to make Sandesh?
- Sauté Ricotta on low flame till it all comes together to form a soft mass.
- Mix sugar and sauté further till well combined and thickened.
- Cool and shape into pedas.
- Garnish with cardamom powder, saffron and pistachios.
- Refrigerate and serve.
This Sandesh is:
- Made with only 5 ingredients
- A perfect sweet to make for any festive occasion
- Super easy to make
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Loved by all
This sweet is as easy as it gets. So, next time when you have guests dropping by and you want to treat them with something delicious yet simple, then this is the perfect thing to go for!!!!
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups whole milk ricotta cheese (makes approx. 12 sandesh)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- a few strands of saffron
- pistachio, for garnishing

Instructions
- Soak saffron in warm milk. Keep it aside for 10 minutes.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan on medium-low flame. Add ricotta cheese, it will have a creamy and molten consistency initially.
- Sauté for about 10 minutes.
- Soon it will all come together to form a soft yet moist mass in the center of the pan. Don't overcook the cheese. The color shouldn't change.
- Now, add sugar. The mixture will again turn soft and a little flowy.
- Keep stirring continuously for another 5-7 minutes.
- It will thicken up and gather in the center
- Turn off the flame and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Divide the mix into 10-12 equal parts. Shape into balls.
- Press gently with your thumb to give a peda like shape.
- Garnish with saffron, ground cardamom, and pistachios.
- Chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving
Recipe Notes
- Don't overcook ricotta else it will result in a rubbery texture.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
- Adjust the sweetness as per your personal preference.
- Use whole milk ricotta cheese for best results.
- Feel free to skip nuts or use nuts of your choice.
- Since it's a milk-based sweet, it's best consumed fresh. Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days though.
